Tonight, a press conference was held on the set of Independence Day 2 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which was live streamed over the web for all those hopped up on nostalgia for ’90s blockbusters after the success of Jurassic World. Writer/director/producer Roland Emmerich was joined by returning actors Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Brent Spiner, Vivica A. Fox and Judd Hirsch and newcomers Liam Hemsworth, Sela Ward, Maika Monroe, Jessie Usher and Angelababy. There was little to the event besides vague plot and character details, but we did learn the sequel has a new title: Independence Day: Resurgence. So long, “ID Forever Part 1,” as we’d previously heard it would be called.
This is an interesting title in that it doesn’t feature the word “dark,” “rogue,” “dawn” or “rise” or any form of “fury.” There aren’t many movies that have “resurgence” as the subtitle, as “return,” “revenge” and “resurrection” have all worked out nicely instead for decades. There’s a 2012 fan film short called Halloween: Resurgence, and there’s some sort of horror sequel due out next year titled Anomalous II: Resurgence and an unofficial wannabe sequel 300 the Resurgence out in 2017. But for big productions, Independence Day could be a pioneer. It may very well be followed by Terminator: Resurgence of the Machines, Resurgence of the Planet of the Apes, The Divergent Series: Resurgent and even Star Wars: Resurgence of the Jedi.
As for the plot and character details, we already knew that this was going to be the moment of the retaliation from the aliens, but the new characters of note this time include Ward’s more conservative President and Hemsworth and Angelababy’s fighter pilots. As for what the returning characters are doing today, one of interest is the daughter of Pullman’s former President (now played by Monroe) who apparently works for Ward and is also a pilot and maybe a sort of Secret Service agent or something. I think we can expect a plot that is very similar to Independence Day, but we may also see a version of 2016 that’s not at all like our own.
The event also presented the following crafts, hybrids of Earth and alien technology. The first below is a kind of forklift thing called the Moon Tug, which is what Hemsworth is sadly operating when the movie begins.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Here’s the official synopsis via the live stream presentation:
We always knew they were coming back. After INDEPENDENCE DAY redefined the event movie genre, the next epic chapter delivers global spectacle on an unimaginable scale. Using recovered alien technology, the nations of Earth have collaborated on an immense defense program to protect the planet. But nothing can prepare us for the aliens’ advanced and unprecedented force. Only the ingenuity of a few brave men and women can bring our world back from the brink of extinction.
Now watch a title teaser for the sequel followed by the taped presentation (it starts around the 57 minute mark), where you can find all the divulged details.
Independence Day: Resurgence opens on June 24, 2016.